


Tie-Dyed Peonies

by c000kiesandcream



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Florist, Alternate Universe - Wedding Planner, First Kiss, M/M, New York City
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-13
Updated: 2017-02-13
Packaged: 2018-09-23 16:20:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9665288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/c000kiesandcream/pseuds/c000kiesandcream
Summary: A party in the city, a difficult order to fulfil, and a first time for everything.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ingthing](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ingthing/gifts).



> Based on the Florist/Wedding planner AU by [ingthing](http://archiveofourown.org/series/639041), which is my current obsession.  
> Hopefully this work does it justice!

The late afternoon sun hung low in the sky, shining through the shop windows, reflecting off the glass surface of the counter. Yuuri Katsuki was sat on the stool behind the register, leaning against the wall, watching the clock slowly tick away the afternoon. The shop always went quiet after lunch, but still it remained open until 6. Deliberately, the second hand ticked, Yuuri’s drooping eyes watching it trace its arc, passing the 2, then the 3, before he looked at his watch. He had hoped the clock was lying, but it was still only 2:30. His phone buzzed on the counter, and he snatched it up, hoping it was a message from a certain wedding planner.

It wasn’t. Phichit had sent him another link to a video of a singing dog. When the link loaded, Yuri watched, occasionally breathing through his nose, the slightest sign of his amusement.

He wished he had taken Mari’s advice, but he always forgot to pick up his book as he ran out the door in the mornings. The realisation always came as he walked into the shop, the bell chime ringing the memory into his mind. When the video finished, he simply sent a smiley emoji in response, before placing his phone back on the counter. His fingers tapped the surface rhythmically, faintly masking the incessant ticking from the clock.

Yuuri had to find something to do. There had been no delivery today, and he knew they didn’t have any outstanding orders to fulfil. The old laptop took a while to boot up; Yuuri imagined the AOL dial-up tone as he watched the spinning hourglass. It eventually flashed into life, so he tapped in the password and waited while the list of orders for the next three weeks. They only had 3 weddings to cater for, one funeral, and a couple of general birthday bouquets. None of them were due in the next few days, so it was pointless physically preparing anything for them. While he hated having nothing productive to do, he could always get a head start on the planning. Yuuri pulled up the email confirmations from [v.nikiforov@weddingsbyvictor.com](mailto:v.nikiforov@weddingsbyvictor.com). Watching the webpage carefully, he reached under the counter for a small, black notebook. He pushed his glasses further up his nose, opening the first email with his other hand while he adjusted the lenses.

The first wedding request was for an Alice Nova and Jonathan Carroll, one week from today, and their constellations themed wedding needed immediate attention. Yuuri smiled at the pun, before turning to the blank page in front of him. He hadn’t been able to figure out how best to translate the expanding galaxy into a floral arrangement, but there was no time like the present. Plus, he feared that he may fall asleep again if he continued to watch the clock, and if he was caught, he knew he’d be working the next four Saturdays.

Yuuri drew the outline for a cascading bouquet, an upside-down teardrop in the centre of the page. The eraser tapped against the counter while he thought, his eyes wandering around the shop, desperate for inspiration. White lilies were perfect, easily replicating a milky that burst out amongst the dark matter. His main concern was that he _had_ no dark matter. The weather had only just started to warm up, and many of the darker flowers that he could have used were not due to bloom for at least another three months. There were a couple of mulberry tulips poking out from the bottom of the discount stand. Yuuri blinked. They could work, he muttered, pencilling them in. Staring at the arrangement he had drawn so far, he tapped the eraser against his cheek, brow furrowed. His glasses slid down his nose while he concentrated, trying to think of every blue flower he could imagine.

Suddenly, his phone buzzed, making him jump slightly. The screen lit up with a message too long to show, so Yuri swiped it open. It was Victor:

**_Hey, Yuuri, sorry I haven’t text you much, meetings. I won’t be at the shop tonight, dinner with clients. V x._ **

Yuuri blinked twice, staring at the single kiss that had been left, and the period after it. He re-read the message, and his heart sank as he absorbed the information. They had been dating for a couple of weeks now, almost three, and had seen each other every other day. Victor tried to drop by the shop on his way home as much as he could, but as the weather got warmer, more couples approached Victor’s company for their services. This week alone, Victor had been contacted by no less than 25 couples, pleading for meetings with the almost infamous wedding planner. Yuuri sighed, acutely aware that there was no one to hear his disappointment.

**_Okay, no worries. Hope it goes well xx_ **

Yuuri clicked send before he could regret the second kiss. Slipping his phone under the counter, he turned to back to his space-themed bouquet. Hopefully Victor could come and see him tomorrow. Almost instantly, his phone buzzed again, but Yuuri, who was wandering around the shop while he scribbled, didn’t notice.

* * *

 

Victor sighed, slumping in his chair slightly. It was already 2:30, but his day felt like it was being stretched thin, dragging behind him. His colleagues clattered around the office retrieving lunches from the mini fridge that sat under the window. Mila smirked, dropping into her seat, stabbing at the salad that sat in front of her.  

‘What’s wrong with you today?’ she asked, glaring at the limp leaf on her fork before placing it back down on the desk.

'Why is lunch always such a depressing affair in this office?’ he muttered. As if to illustrate his point, a bag of chips flew across the room, hitting the side of his head, making him look from his phone. Mila pointed at Yuri, who was pointing to Georgi.

‘Exactly my point. Besides, I’m still annoyed that-’ Yuri interrupted him. 

'You’re upset you can’t go and see your flower boy tonight because we have a dinner. Again, I’ve said I’m sorry but it’s a high profile-’ This time Victor interrupted.

'Yes, I know that, but as an intern, you shouldn’t be making these kinds of bookings,’ he pushed his hair off his face, and wiggled his computer mouse until the screen flashed to life. A new email flashed in his inbox, so he clicked it open. It was from Chris:

**_Victor,_ **

 

**_Just wondering if you would be able to RSVP the invitation I sent two weeks ago, no big deal._ **

**_Please just ask him, and let me know if he’s allergic to anything. I’m leaving to shop as you read this._ **

 

 ** _Chris_**  

He chose not to reply, instead unlocking his phone again to read Yuuri’s text. A gentle fluttering rose in his chest as he noticed the two kisses, but he tried not to read too much into it. Instead, he typed out his invitation:

**_If you’re free tomorrow, we have an invite to a party in the city? Only if you’re interested xx_ **

He clicked send, and glanced at his email account. Hopefully Yuuri wouldn’t mind attending one of Chris’s parties. He hadn’t spent a lot of time with Yuuri lately, not as much as he would have liked to considering they were now officially seeing each other.

The microwave pinged, snapping Victor out of his trance. He scrunched his nose in disgust.

'Let’s do an actual lunch today. If I have to smell another can of Georgi’s tomato soup,’ he shuddered, whipping his jacket off the chair as his colleagues shot up, eager to escape the office. 

After a satisfying lunch at Chris’s restaurant a couple of blocks away, and several cups of coffee for Victor, they re-entered the office in a much more productive mood. While Victor replied to the emails he had missed over lunch, his colleagues worked on their individual wedding projects. Occasionally, Victor’s eyes would flick sideways to his phone, waiting for a message that never came. The final few hours of the working day slipped by quietly. Before long, the hour hand had reached 5, and Victor stood up.

‘Okay guys, tomorrow we need to contact the Jones’s, their account needs updating. Yuri, you’re with me tonight, and don’t pull that face at me. You wanted to book the Carroway’s, it’s your responsibility,’ Victor scolded as the teenager rolled his eyes. ‘You keep complaining that you don’t have enough work, well here you go.’ He led the way out of the room, checking his watch. Dinner was in two hours, so he had enough time to head home, have a shower and change before catching the train back into the city. Perhaps if he didn’t shower, he could stop by the flower shop, but he still needed to get back to see to Makkachin. There was no way.

He checked his phone again, quickly regretting it when he saw that the florist had not replied to his message. 

* * *

 

Yuuri stepped into his apartment, sniffing the air dubiously. 

'Hey, Yuuri,’ Phichit was on the couch. His legs were crossed, balancing his laptop, furiously pounding the keys. On the table in front of him sat a large range of bowls, filled with suspicious, creamy liquid.

'What is it this week?’ Yuuri asked, strolling into the kitchen. His notebook hit the counter with a thud, while his free hand clicked the coffee machine into life.

'Fondue Festival. I’ve been roped in to judge, and the restaurants have all sent samples. God knows how they found me,’ Phichit leaned forward, scooping a spoonful from the bowl closest to him. 

'So this is dinner?’ Yuuri clattered in the cupboard, unable to see Phichit’s shrug. 

'I dunno, I feel pretty ill. This is a _lot_ of cheese. So, no Victor today?’ The tapping keys resumed just as the coffee pot beeped. Yuuri poured two cups as he spoke.

'Not today.’ Yuuri fell into the cushions next to Phichit, dipping his finger in the bowl Phichit pointed to, surprised to find it was stone cold. 

‘And you haven’t text him?’ The laptop snapped shut as Phichit spoke, leaning over to slide it under the sofa. Yuuri had placed his coffee cup on the smallest coaster amongst the cheese bowls, which he took up. A gasp escaped Yuuri’s lips, and he slapped his hand to his mouth comically.

‘My phone! I’ve been so focussed on the Nova wedding, that I left it - Shoot!’ Shaking his head, annoyed at his forgetfulness. After Victor had text him earlier, he had ignored his phone, choosing instead to distract himself with floral arrangements.

‘Aren’t you gonna go get it?’ Phichit laughed, pulling his own phone out of his pocket. All he got was a sigh in response.

‘One night won’t hurt,’ he shrugged, sipping his coffee. He can feel Phichit’s eyes on him, staring in disbelief.

‘One night without my phone? I would go _nuts_ ,’ he proclaims, turning back to his timeline. ‘Plus, now you’re never gonna know if Victor has text you.’

Now it was Yuuri’s turn to stare. ‘Why would you _say_ that?’

‘Well, I guess he can wait ‘til morning,’ Phichit shrugs. ‘It’s not like you text each other all the time anyway.’

‘But what if _he_ has text me this time? And what if he thinks I’m ignoring him? I have to go and get it-’ Yuuri stood up as he spoke, his voice getting faster as the panic fizzed in his stomach. He had only been seeing Victor for a couple of weeks, and while their correspondence was sparse, Yuuri had never ignored a message from him.

‘Here,’ Phichit held his phone out to Yuuri, who looked at it. ‘Just text him, say you’ve left the phone in the shop. Or you can email him? Isn’t his work email linked with his phone?’

Yuuri retrieved Phichit’s laptop from under the couch, opening his email account and typing out a quick email. before hitting send. A breath escapes his lips as the email swooshes off the screen, and he leans back. Phichit pinches Yuuri’s cheek, gently taking the laptop back.

‘Now, let’s order some _real_ food.’ 

* * *

Victor slammed into the office, forcing the door shut behind him when he steps  in, dropping his bag to the floor. Mila glanced at Georgi, eyebrows raised. The atmosphere in the office remained icy, the only noise coming from Victor, sighing every so often as he flipped through today’s portfolio. When the clock eventually hit 10, Victor decided to turn his computer on. His inbox was full, and he methodically clicked through the correspondence, jotting down reminders, times, dates, only replying to those marked urgent, before he reaches the end of the list. Yuuri Katsuki’s name is next to the unopened letter icon. How had Victor missed this? It was sent at 7pm _last night_.

**_Hey Victor,_ **

****

**_Just a note to let you know I left my phone at the shop tonight. Very silly of me, I know._ **

**_Anyway, if you need me, you can email me._ **

****

**_Sorry,_ **

****

**_Yuuri._ **

A smile broke out on Victor’s face, reaching his eyes, as the tension that had sat on his shoulders since last night evaporated. Yuuri hadn’t ignored him at all. His phone was just sitting in the shop all night, and maybe it had died before he’d read Victor’s message.

‘Have the Jones’s cancelled?’ Mila hopes, placing down the binder in her arms. Georgi shakes his head.

‘No, that’s the smile of love,’ Georgi sighs, staring out the window dramatically.

‘It’s a personal email. Now, we need to head off,’ Victor stood, tapping his shoe against the hardwood floor. Mila narrowed her eyes, slowly taking up the binder she had just dropped.

A buzzing sound echoed around the quiet office. Victor rummaged through his bag, trying to find out his phone. Having spent the best part of last night believing that Yuuri was ignoring him, he had tried his best to refrain from repeatedly texting him. The buzzing stopped just as his hands came in contact with his phone. A red dot popped up on the screen, indicating that he had a voicemail.

He clicked through to listen as they stepped into the elevator, heading down to the lobby.

 _‘Hey, Victor, sorry, you must be busy. I forgot to pick my phone up last night, and it’s about to die, but anyway, I just wanted to let you know I am free tonight, so, erm, yeah-’_ The message is cut short. Yuuri’s phone must have died. His shoulders relax.

Behind him, Georgi nudges Mila, who hands over a $10 bill.

* * *

‘No!’ Yuuri yells, holding his phone out in disbelief. The light flickered on the screen before fading to black, signifying the death of his phone battery. He groans, angrily shoving it into his pocket.

A wide blue sky signifies another beautiful summer day, a single cloud floated over Yuuri’s head as he scanned the rooftop garden. With no phone, Yuuri plans on solving his galaxy problem without distraction. His phone hadn’t died until after Yuuri had confirmed he was free tonight, so he needn’t worry that Victor hadn’t got his message.

Opening his notebook, he carefully considered the outlines he had drawn yesterday. Dreamily, he had filled them with flowers, actively ignoring the colour issue. The outlines stared at him, while he tried to figure out how he would fill a bouquet, centrepieces, and corsages with dark, out-of-season flowers. The shop was currently overflowing with bridal colours; white, ivory, pink, peach, orange, violet. He walked along the first row of the rooftop, stopping at a flowerbed overflowing with delicate white peonies. While he copied the curving petals in the corner of the page, he had a brainwave. He scrambled into the kitchen, hoping Mari hadn't cleared out the kitchenette's cupboard.

While he waited for his experiment to settle, he filled in the rest of the pages. The entire shop was now at his disposal, and he quickly shaded the blank petals. He shaped the pieces, wandering around the shop while he amended the details on his pieces. After a couple of hours, he had finished the work, so he scribbled the title, Nova/Carroll, across the page, and decided to rest his head against the counter. The cool glass was soothing in the heat, so he slipped his glasses off and closed his eyes for a moment. 

The doorbell tinkled, and Yuuri shot up, wiping his mouth. Daring a glance at the clock, he gasped. It was already 1:30, and he must have dozed off.

‘Yuri Katsuki, I can’t believe you’re sleeping on the job _again_ ,’ Mari scolded, standing in the doorway with her hands on her hips.

‘I’m sorry,’ he yawned, stretching up as he did. Sleeping face down on the counter did not feel great on his back, and he winced as it cracked into place.

‘I won’t tell mom,’ she laughed, taking the apron off him as he stepped from behind the counter. ‘So, Friday night, date night, any plans?’

A delicate pink flushed in Yuri's cheeks, causing Mari to nudge him with her elbow.

‘You _do_ have a date,’ she teased, ruffling his hair.

‘I wouldn’t call a party a _date_ , per say, but yeah, Victor asked me,’ he laughed, cheeks still tinged slightly.

‘Aw, you guys are going public? That’s so sweet,’ she said, tying the apron around her waist as she spoke.

‘Well, I’ll fill you in tomorrow,’ he called as he stepped out the door.

It took Yuuri half an hour to walk back to his apartment. The fresh air felt nice after being cooped up in the flower shop for the morning, and as the sun climbed higher in the sky, it burned off the odd clouds that threatened to cross the perfect blue sky. When he walked into the apartment, Phichit was sat in almost the same position as he had been the night before, except instead of fondue bowls, the table was piled high with programmes.

‘Hey,’ Yuuri muttered, walking straight through to his room so he could charge up his phone. Phichit wasn’t far behind, dropping onto the bed while Yuuri waited.

‘So? Any messages?’ Phichit asked. Yuuri nodded.

‘He’s invited me to a party in the city tonight,’ Yuuri threw open his wardrobe as he spoke, rummaging through the clothes that hung there, trying to find something suitable.

‘Oh, cool, who’s party? Anyone interesting?’ Phichit was on his phone again; Yuuri shook his head.

‘He didn’t say. I called him earlier but it went to voicemail. God, why did I leave a _voicemail_?’ Yuuri grumbled, earning him a laugh from the bed.

‘A _voicemail_? Hello, 2003,’ Phichit chuckled, earning him a groan from Yuuri. ‘Look, it’s not that big a deal, you just need to make sure you’re dressed appropriately.’

‘And how on earth will I know what’s appropriate if I don’t know anything about this party?’ Yuuri urged, turning as his phone buzzed to life on the bed.

As the messages came through, Yuuri read them out to Phichit, who nodded at the details.

‘Okay, so a rooftop party in the Upper East Side. You know what that means?’ A grin stretched on Phichit’s face as he spoke. ‘We need to go shopping.’

Yuuri hated shopping, but his clothing options were limited to casual and work, neither of which felt appropriate. Phichit led the way, guiding Yuuri out of the subway station, and into the nearest boutique. The wide array of smart shirts, blazers and pants were incredibly soft, and unsurprisingly cost almost three months’ rent combined.

‘Phichit, _no way_ ,’ Yuuri turned on his heel, walking out. Phichit followed.

‘Come on, we’re only window shopping, I know just the place,’ Phichit confessed, ducking and weaving between the lunchtime rush as he guided Yuuri to a store he’d never seen before.

‘It’s British, come on,’ Phichit declared, stepping into the cool air condistioning as he spoke.

Yuuri looked carefully around the store. Amongst the variety of carefully torn shirts, anonymous sports jerseys, and too tight hoodies, Yuuri spotted a blazer almost identical to the one they had seen in the first place. While Phichit roamed the store, selecting a few items in his own size, Yuuri walked over, picking up the shirt and the pants that were shown on the nearest mannequin. A light blue button down, tucked into a pair of sand coloured chinos and the dark blue blazer over the top looked summery to Yuuri, and each item was one he would wear again after tonight.

The outfit was met with rousing applause from Phichit, who had somehow forgotten the reason they were there in the first place, and had collected a pile of clothes for himself. Satsified, Yuuri paid, and they headed back home.

Yuuri pulled his phone out to text Victor.

**_Meet you at the flower shop, I have something to show you x_ **

Mari let out a low whistle as the doorbell chimed, carefully considering Yuuri’s outfit. His shirt was the same shade as his glasses, and he had rolled the sleeves up to reveal half of his forearms. The sun was still blaring in the sky, so he had slung the blazer over his shoulder, and this combined with his slicked back hair made him look completely different.

‘Don’t _you_ look dashing,’ she hung the apron on the hook behind the counter, stepping out into the centre of the shop.

‘You think? It’s not too much?’ Yuuri slipped his arms into the sleeves of the blazer, tugging at the cuffs. Mari nodded.

‘He’s an idiot if he doesn’t think you look amazing,’ she smiled, patting his shoulder gently.

‘Well, he’s gonna be here in a minute so-’ he didn’t need to finish the sentence. Mari was already out of the door, and he slowly breathed in the earthy air. Now he was alone, he glanced down at his clothes, and he was starting to feel anxious. This party was going to be filled with Victor’s closest friends, and he wanted to make the best first impression he could. When Victor had met Phichit, they went for lunch and it was an incredibly casual affair.

The doorbell chimed again, and Yuuri whipped his head around.

'Hey, I'm not interrupting anything am I?' Victor stepped into the shop, shaking his hair out of his eyes. His cool grey suit was pristine, the light blue tie was a perfect match. God, he dressed so  _well_. Yuri gulped. They stood frozen, taking in each other’s outfits.

‘Wow,’ Victor breathed, before sweeping up to Yuuri and embracing him.

Yuuri's glasses smushed against his face, the metal digging into the side of his head. His arms rose of their own accord, pulling Victor closer to him. They stood like that for a few moments, Victor resting his chin on Yuri's head, while Yuri breathed the deep scent of Victor's cologne. Over the past couple of weeks, Victor had slowly introduced these physical elements to the relationship, always asking if Yuuri was comfortable with it. They didn't usually hug on the shop floor, but Victor couldn't help himself. 

'Wow,' he repeated, holding Yuuri out at arms length so that he could see him properly. A smile stretched across Yuuri's face, reaching his eyes. Victor had to fight the overwhelming urge to kiss him, but he stopped himself.

‘You look pretty good yourself,’ Yuuri smiled, a gentle blush threatening his cheeks.

‘Thank you, Yuuri,’ Victor leaned forward to hug Yuuri again, but Yuuri stepped back.

‘Wait, there’s something I need to show you,’ he laughed at Victor’s visible disappointment, before placing his arms around the older man’s torso briefly. He pulled the notebook out from behind the counter, flicking through the pages as he spoke.

'So, I started thinking of the Nova-Carroll wedding,' he suggested. Victor nodded, eager to see the florist's work. Yuuri was excellent with his hands, both in regards to the floral arrangements and his drawings to represent them. On the double page, he had planned 4 separate centrepieces, 2 bouquet arrangements, and 3 corsages. His messy handwriting cluttered the remaining white space, but he held the notebook down while he pointed out features.

'These are my favourites, but at the minute these are our most realistic options. I couldn't figure out how to make it dark, cos it's space, you know? Every single flower I could think of is out of season, but I did come with another way, although it's slightly unconventional,' he stepped into the back room to retrieve his work.

In the vase was a small bunch of peonies, the petals of which were black, fading to a soft grey and then a white in the dead centre of the flower.

'It was an experiment I remembered from when I was a kid. You put food colouring in the water, and let it soak for a couple of hours. The longer you leave it, the more pigmented the petals become. I was wracking my brain, but this was the best I could come up,' Yuuri explained as he placed the vase down. Victor was delicately fondling the petals, before looking up at Yuuri in amazement.

'You're a genius! Can I send this to Mila?' Victor grinned, already pulling his phone out before Yuuri could say yes.

'I'll only do it if the bride is happy, otherwise, well, we can come up with another plan,' he smiled, elated that Victor approved.

‘Yuuri, this is genius! I knew you would think of something,’ Victor exclaimed, looking up at the florist’s lips. He wished he could just lean over the counter and kiss him.

Instead, he settled for resting his hand on Yuuri’s squeezing softly. The ever-present blush on Yuuri’s cheeks deepened, and his eyes remained glued to the flower on the counter. They stood in silence for a couple of moments. Victor continued looking at Yuuri, while Yuuri stared at the petals. Victor couldn’t help himself, and he reached out with his free hand, gently lifting Yuuri’s chin so he couldn’t look away.

‘Yuuri, I could kiss you,’ he admitted, his pale cheeks also now tinged pink slightly.

‘Well, you can if you want to,’ Yuuri mumbled, eyes shooting down to the flower again. Victor held his breath, leaning over the counter slightly.

‘May I?’ his voice was now low, almost a whisper. Yuuri nodded once, his eyes lifting so that they were level with Victor’s. They leaned forward, slowly, eyes closed, hoping to meet each other half way.

Their lips touched. Yuuri tilted his head slightly as his lips part, allowing Victor to guide him into a deeper kiss. The hand on his chin creeps around the back of his neck, and Yuuri is sure Victor can feel the burning on his skin. As they kissed, Victor breathed through his nose, his sinuses filling with the clamouring floral scent. Yuuri exhaled softly, his nerves dissipating slightly as their lips gently moved together. The slender fingers on the back of his neck gently caress the sensitive skin on Yuuri’s neck, and the younger man enjoys the contact, until Victor presses the wrong spot. He jolts, his glasses knocking Victor’s nose slightly as he bursts into an uncomfortable laugh, the kind of laugh that only comes from being ticklish. The vase holding the flowers on the counter clatters to the side, spilling black dyed water out onto the glass.

The spell is broken, and they step out of proximity to avoid the spillage. Disappointment clouds Victor’s face, and Yuuri smiles to himself when he notices, quickly clearing up the mess. Once he is ready, he closes up, leading Victor through the sunshine to the train station. His hand has slipped into Victors of its own accord, and the older man applies a gentle pressure. They only let go to walk through the turnstiles at the station, and while they walk they discuss the details of their days. They are interrupted by Victor's phone buzzing; Chris is calling him.

‘Hey, yes, we’re on our way. Mhmm. No, that’s fine, where is it? 72nd street? Sure, be there in 10,’ Victor hummed into the phone.  'We need to pick up another bottle of wine,' he explained, smiling at Yuuri’s confused, furrowed brow.

'Won’t we be late?' Yuuri asked. Victor shook his head, guiding him with his hand to the liquor store.

As they walked, Victor tried to swing his hand so it brushed Yuuri's, missing a couple of times before Yuuri understood the hint. He slipped his fingers back in between the older mans and squeezed. Victor could feel how clammy his palm was, but he put it down to the evening sun that still blared at them from between skyscrapers. It didn't take them long to find the wine shop, and after quickly charging the wine to his card in the hope that Yuuri hadn't seen the price tag (he had), they stepped back into the sunlight, crossing the street, heading to Chris's apartment block. Yuuri retook Victor's hand, not waiting for a cue this time, releasing a flurry of butterflies in Victor’s stomach.

Victor talked as they walked, telling Yuuri about how he and Chris had started college together, ended up dropping out and working tables at a fancy restaurant on Broadway. From there, Victor attended business school while working night shifts, helping friends and family members plan weddings. Meanwhile, Chris had won a scholarship for culinary school, so he moved uptown to study. Victor followed him, partly because he couldn't afford to live alone but mostly because he couldn't bear to pursue a career without Chris's constant encouragement. Together they worked hard, studying in between shifts and covering when the other had exams or papers due. They graduated at the same time that Chris's grandfather died, meaning that Chris came into a fair amount of money. With that, he bought his own café, but he had enough spare to invest in  _Weddings by Victor_ , which Victor had managed to pay off in his first year of business. Here they were now, five years later, and more successful than ever. Chris's café had turned into an upmarket bistro, the chef himself running evening classes at the very culinary school he attended. Weddings by Victor was steadily becoming an empire, already a household name on the east coast. 

Before he realised it, he'd been talking for 20 minutes, and they were outside Chris's apartment building. Victor laughed, pressing the buzzer to be let in.

'I'm sorry, I do ramble, especially when I'm so excited,' he shook his head, waving at the doorman who sat on the desk in the lobby. Yuuri just smiled, aware of his irregular breathing.

'I enjoy hearing your stories,' he said. He genuinely meant it, too.

They took the elevator to the top floor, Victor leading the way to the fire escape. Yuuri stopped, his hand holding Victor back.

‘Is everything okay?’ Victor inquired, head tilted to one side.

‘It’s fine, it’s just… what if they don’t like me?’ Yuuri glanced down at his shoes, barely whispering his question. For the second time that day, Victor gently lifted his chin, pressing their foreheads together softly. This knocked Yuuri’s glasses slightly; Victor gently pushed them up and onto his head with one hand.

‘Yuuri, they are going to _love_ you,’ his breathing came low, deep, and Yuuri’s had stopped all together.

The door in front of them swung open, making them both jump. Chris held his arms out to Victor, pulling him in for a hug. The distraction allows Yuuri to collect himself, sliding his glasses back down to his face.

‘Victor, glad you could make it,’ he laughed, patting him on the back, before stepping back, turning to Yuuri. ‘You must be the florist,’ he held his hand out for Yuuri to shake.

‘Hey. I’ve heard a lot about you,’ Yuuri replied, mentally kicking himself for his stupid comment. Chris just laughed.

‘Likewise. So, shall we?’ He held the door open, releasing the low sounds of music and cocktail conversation, echoing down the empty hall.

They headed up together, Victor allowing Yuuri to climb ahead of him so he could appreciate the view.

* * *

After the party, Yuuri and Victor slowly made their way back home, Victor getting off a stop early so he could walk Yuuri back to his apartment.

‘I told you they would love you,’ he chided playfully, digging his elbow into Yuuri’s ribs as they walked through the park to Yuuri’s building. Anonymous insects chirped noisily in the grass as they walked, always hiding just out of reach, moving along with them as they disturbed the blades. Yuuri exhaled, looking sideways at Victor.

‘I know that _now_ , but Chris is so important to you. Didn't you feel even a _little_ bit nervous when you met _my_ best friend?’ Yuuri quipped, laughing into the warm air. Victor just shook his head.

‘I am a delight, but you already know this.’

The rest of the way, they walked in comfortable silence. Between them, they had shared a bottle of wine, and the alcohol charged the air with something that Yuuri couldn't quite place. It wasn’t long before they were walking up the steps to Yuuri’s apartment block, and Victor sighed.

‘What’s wrong?’ Yuuri was facing Victor, standing on the step above him so that their eyes were exactly level. Victor shrugged, hiding slightly behind his hair.

‘Tonight was amazing, Yuuri, I’m just disappointed it’s over,’ he sighed. He leaned forward to plant a kiss on Yuuri’s cheek, but Yuuri turned his head at the last second, forcing their lips to connect.

This kiss felt different. Earlier, in the shop, the kiss was soft, gentle, punctuated by the heavily perfumed air. Yuuri pushed forward this time, pulling Victor closer by his lower back, shocking the older man. Breathless, desperate, Victor parted his lips, allowing Yuuri to gently explore with his tongue. The pavement fell away as they leaned into each other, Victor's hands reaching for Yuri's hips to hold him close. A low sound reverberated in Victor’s throat, causing Yuuri to pull away slightly. Panting softly, Yuuri leaned forward to gently press their lips together again, this time holding the kiss for no longer than a couple of seconds.

‘Goodnight Victor,’ he whispered, turning to enter his building.

Victor sank to the floor, staring out at the empty street in front of him, his lips tingling slightly with the memory of the kiss.

His phone pinged, waking him from his trance. He pulled it out of his pocket as he stood up, and couldn’t contain the grin that spread across his face.

**_You can come up for coffee if you want. X._ **

 

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this, I really enjoyed writing it! Let me know what you think :)


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